diff --git a/crates/mcp/src/tools.rs b/crates/mcp/src/tools.rs
index 3265b36f9..956e8801c 100644
--- a/crates/mcp/src/tools.rs
+++ b/crates/mcp/src/tools.rs
@@ -384,8 +384,7 @@ fn annotations(name: &str, title: &str) -> Value {
             | "ui_inspect"
             | "ui_screenshot"
     );
-    let files = matches!(name, "export" | "render_photo" | "screenshot");
-    json!({"title": title, "readOnlyHint": read_only, "destructiveHint": !read_only && !files,
+    json!({"title": title, "readOnlyHint": read_only, "destructiveHint": !read_only,
         "idempotentHint": read_only || matches!(name, "render_photo" | "screenshot"), "openWorldHint": false})
 }
 
diff --git a/crates/mcp/tests/e2e.rs b/crates/mcp/tests/e2e.rs
index 8b0396490..66cb93460 100644
--- a/crates/mcp/tests/e2e.rs
+++ b/crates/mcp/tests/e2e.rs
@@ -78,6 +78,33 @@ fn exposure_roundtrip(server: &mut Server) {
     assert!(darker < before - 15.0, "exposure -1.5 should darken: {before} → {darker}");
 }
 
+#[test]
+fn file_writers_advertise_destructive_effects() {
+    for with_commands in [false, true] {
+        let mut server = Server::new(Box::new(Headless::demo())).with_command_tools(with_commands);
+        let replies = session(&mut server, &[json!({"jsonrpc": "2.0", "id": 1, "method": "tools/list"})]);
+        let tools = replies[0]["result"]["tools"].as_array().unwrap();
+        for name in ["export", "render_photo"] {
+            let tool = tools.iter().find(|t| t["name"] == name).unwrap();
+            assert_eq!(tool["annotations"]["readOnlyHint"], false, "{name}");
+            assert_eq!(tool["annotations"]["destructiveHint"], true, "{name} can replace a file");
+        }
+        let preview = tools.iter().find(|t| t["name"] == "render_preview").unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(preview["annotations"]["readOnlyHint"], true);
+        assert_eq!(preview["annotations"]["destructiveHint"], false);
+    }
+    let addr = fake_app();
+    let mut server = Server::new(Box::new(Remote::connect(&addr).unwrap()));
+    let replies = session(&mut server, &[json!({"jsonrpc": "2.0", "id": 1, "method": "tools/list"})]);
+    let tools = replies[0]["result"]["tools"].as_array().unwrap();
+    let screenshot = tools.iter().find(|t| t["name"] == "screenshot").unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(screenshot["annotations"]["readOnlyHint"], false);
+    assert_eq!(screenshot["annotations"]["destructiveHint"], true);
+    let image_only = tools.iter().find(|t| t["name"] == "ui_screenshot").unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(image_only["annotations"]["readOnlyHint"], true);
+    assert_eq!(image_only["annotations"]["destructiveHint"], false);
+}
+
 #[test]
 fn headless_set_exposure_and_render() {
     exposure_roundtrip(&mut Server::new(Box::new(Headless::demo())));
diff --git a/docs/mcp.md b/docs/mcp.md
index 00841bec8..d99bbff87 100644
--- a/docs/mcp.md
+++ b/docs/mcp.md
@@ -146,8 +146,11 @@ Each edit in a batch has its own undo step. Connect mode also lists `ui_inspect`
 Ports and connect mode are unchanged.
 
 Every listed tool has a title and all four MCP hints. Generated command tools are conservatively
-marked as edits. Helpers with optional output paths are marked as writers; `export` is not
-idempotent because the default conflict policy chooses a new filename on repeated calls.
+marked as edits. `export`, `render_photo` and `screenshot` have `readOnlyHint: false` and
+`destructiveHint: true`: their caller-supplied output paths can replace existing files, even
+when a path is optional. The image-only `render_preview` and `ui_screenshot` remain read-only
+and non-destructive. These annotations are client hints, not a file-access sandbox.
+`export` is not idempotent because the default conflict policy chooses a new filename on repeated calls.
 Unknown helper argument keys return JSON-RPC `-32602` naming the key and accepted arguments.
 Generated `cmd_*` tools and nested command params remain free-form: the registry has prose
 parameter docs, not machine-readable schemas. Existing command validation (including strict